Crime of the Week--Chapter 1--Cleaning Up
by Flora Belle Jardiniere
Summary: We catch up with characters and conflicts left unresolved by the hasty end of CSI: Miami. There are new romances afoot, a new family in peril, and Horatio's friends gather to solve the latest murder in their midst to keep their favorite lieutenant from further harm. Oh, and did I mention, there's a honeymoon and hi jinks between friends?
1. Chapter 1

Julius didn't have anyone watching the pier so he didn't know that Horatio made a visit the afternoon of the bombing and weighed anchor for the far side of the marina. There he docked among a flotilla of army and navy brass, whose boats were guarded 24/7. There were ways into them but the moves were too risky, so Silas called off the bomb placement. He didn't know that Horatio berthed between the hot general (she'd have been horrified to know he thought of her that way) and Admiral James Kensworth until it was too late.

Horatio was offered the empty berth by the admiral, who knew and approved of his plans for General Davenport. He ensured the man's boat was protected because he heard from sources in the Red Skulls gang that Horatio was a top target on their assassination list, along with the general and her two top lieutenants. Horatio Caine was in for one hell of a shock when he reconnected with his two kinsmen.

Kyle was hand picked by the general because he was level-headed and had an eye for details few others did. Admiral Kensworth wasn't surprised when he learned who the lad's father was, because the senior Caine's head for details was well-known to the military community. He was surprised to learn that Ray Caine, Junior had the same head because he came into the Army Corps of Engineers on a provisional promotion to get him away from a known threat in charge of the base at San Diego.

His first months were a major adjustment for him because he was used to having free roaming of his digs and didn't at his new location in Tikrit. Once he settled down and got to work, the lad proved worth every ounce of energy and money spent on him, saving General Davenport and her platoon from two attempted assassinations. The third time wasn't so charming and nearly cost Central Command a five-star general who was worth her weight in Fort Knox's finest.

She proved that worth getting her people out of harm's way and nearly made it out herself or she'd have been killed instead of gravely wounded. Kensworth questioned the wisdom of her transfer to Miami, since many of her worst enemies called the city home. He didn't have the clout to have her transferred to Raleigh or he'd have pulled the strings to make it happen.

He learned through his spies that she'd have turned down the offer because it meant keeping her two favorite people from their sole remaining male role model, who just happened to be in need of a bit of support himself. They needed each other and she needed them, so things worked out well despite the danger to all of them. Horatio had deep roots in the Miami-Dade community thanks to living there and doing volunteer work when possible between his cases, so moving him would've meant uprooting a leader the community needed.

The senior Caine had a rough adjustment of his own after his precinct promoted him to Captain and confined him to desk duty, because he thrived in the field. He shared the process with Ray, Junior and the pair often commiserated with each other on the cruelties of fate. Kyle was of great help to them both, providing tidbits of data from the case that cost his father any hope of making it to full retirement age as a way of keeping their minds on something other than their shared miseries.

Horatio took care with his clothes as he dressed to visit with General Leila. She was a beautiful woman before the explosion and he was strongly attracted to her no nonsense style, probably because he shared it. She didn't suffer fools because she preferred to support the staffers who did their best and molly coddling fools wasted the time she wanted to spend doing so.

He arrived ten minutes before the end of visiting hours on purpose, so he'd be forced to keep his visit short. He didn't know how deeply his feelings went for the statuesque blonde, but his son, niece and nephew did the moment they looked up and saw him waiting to see her, because it was written all over his face. Had Eric seen his friend's expression, he'd have agreed with them because he'd seen the same one when H looked at his sister Marisol.

The trio of younger folks was very protective of their charge, so much so that Horatio asked,

"What gives, guys? You must know I'd never hurt Miss Leila," Ray got volunteered to explain things, so he said,

"We've all seen how you badger witnesses, Horatio. General Davenport hasn't regained full consciousness and needs her rest, so we're here to make sure she gets it."

"I'm no longer an investigator," he sighed heavily reminding them of his forced retirement the previous month and the huge hole it created in his life. "Instead I push paper all day, which is the last thing I ever wanted to do."

"You're here as a friend, then," Leila rasped from her bed, alerting her crew that she was awake. "That's good. I need friends," and lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Kyle and Ray looked at Horatio entirely differently after that, since he was the only visitor their boss woke up specifically to talk to. Madison smiled knowingly because her uncle brought flowers and came to visit as a friend, but her patient woke because she had deeper feelings for him than she knew as yet. She'd seen this scenario play out countless times and it usually meant marriage between the pair at some point.

Horatio sat vigil while Kyle and Ray got something into them, tickled to bits that the general woke specifically to say hello. He also knew she wasn't unconscious but deeply asleep from her breathing. Her chest rose and fell at regular intervals and her eyes went nuts beneath her closed lids, indicating that she was in REM sleep, which was all to the good.

He woke when Ray Junior patted his shoulder, unaware that he'd fallen asleep at all until then. He was surprised when the younger man handed him a college catalog and opened it to the Forensics Studies section, and said respectfully,

"Kyle, Madi, and I have seen how depressed you've been since they railroaded you last March. We all think you still have lots of good years left in you, as you do. We think you should become an instructor because you're patient, persistent, and dedicated to whatever you're doing. Look at us, for God's sake. We're only doing well because you've been a role model for us since we were small."

Horatio felt a correction was in order, so he said humbly,

"I'm not the best role model, Ray, but thanks for the compliment. You took what I gave you, ran with it and did the hard work to stay on course, so you're responsible for your success. I'm glad I played a small part in it, but you took your personal ball over your chosen goal line. I'm proud of all of you for how far you've come and will definitely look into this," and surprised everyone when he hugged the young man tightly.

Kyle and Maddie looked more closely at their mentor's face and saw the deep worry lines, knowing then that something major ate at him and he wouldn't share it until he was ready. Maddie was the only one who saw the slight sheen of sweat on his face and worried that he was ill. Being a nurse, she waited until Horatio left her patient's bedside to go home and waylaid him, saying,

"You should go to the ER, Uncle Horatio. You don't look well at all and haven't since you got here."

He felt weary beyond belief and knew she had a point, so he went to admissions and checked into the hospital, saying,

"I've been feeling under the weather for days and put it down to depression, but my niece thinks it's more serious," as he fell heavily to the ground.

He was a special favorite of the staff so he was taken to a private room immediately and his doctor was paged as soon as he was comfortable. Dr. Rudolph arrived within moments, saw the same sweat his favorite nurse had, and woke his patient, saying gruffly,

"I'll let you return to your dreams after I've done some tests, Horatio. Madison mentioned you had a slight sheen of sweat on your face and seemed more tired than usual," giving him the opening to add,

"I've been feeling run down since they retired me from active service in March. I thought it was depression," and sighed heavily.

The sigh worried the doctor because Horatio wasn't prone to histrionics. He only became weepy when he was seriously ill, so Hector was grateful his patient listened to Miss Caine and admitted himself for tests. They conversed throughout the tests and he learned first that Nurse Caine was his beloved and only niece, that her two strapping companions were his son and nephew, and that he deeply resented being taken from the field, even though the bullet that was still in his last wound and created serious issues with his breathing.

He wasn't the young buck he'd been and knew it, so he accepted his fate even though he wasn't happy about it. Hector wondered if Horatio would be able to adjust to a more sedentary job and hoped for his sake that he would. He asked if Horatio had plans for after his full retirement in December and was glad to see the man nod, but unhappy that he didn't answer directly because it wasn't like him at all.

He used a hand to lift Horatio's chin and saw a vague expression that worried him, so he paged for a berth in the MRI room to check out the man's heart. He feared the loose bullet had migrated and was blocking an artery, thus the man's shortness of breath under a heavy workload. It took some time to get his patient into the correct position for a clear set of images because he lost consciousness several times, another serious issue given his age and the severity of his previous wounds.

Dr. Rudolph located the troublesome missile and immediately booked a surgery room because it rested in the right ventricle of Horatio's heart. It would be tricky to remove but would definitely come out, which would ease the man's issues a lot. Horatio was prepped while the doc scrubbed up and laid out his tools, a task he trusted to no one but himself.

He phoned Madison and told her what was going on with her uncle, making the strong suggestion that she tell her two cousins and all three should pray for their mentor while he was under the knife. The surgery took over eight hours, during which time General Davenport awoke fully from her coma. She saw the three young people with their heads bowed and startled them badly, when she asked,

"What's going on, Corporal," of Kyle.

He thought carefully before he spoke, saying gently,

"My dad's in surgery to remove a bullet from his heart. The doc said it migrated up from the chest wound he received in a fire fight a few years ago. We're praying for him and for you."

She licked her lips, so Ray brought her a glass of water to drink, pleased that she sipped slowly and waited for the water to go down before she took another one. He turned towards the door when her eyes lit up, saw his uncle's cardiologist in the hall, and went to speak with him. He took his two cousins along so everyone would remain on the same page concerning Horatio's health.

Dr. Rudolph was pleased and touched that the full trio of young folks came to learn how Horatio was after his surgery. He saw General Davenport's gaze focus on Kyle Harmon and realized she was his commanding officer from the way she watched over him. He returned to his discussion and gave the youths this advice,

"Horatio is on hospital bed rest until further notice because I don't like the way his body handled the surgery. He's still coming around from the anesthesia but I'd like at least one of you to be in the room when he wakes fully, so he knows someone gives a damn for him. He's been so tired lately because the bullet from his last skirmish migrated from his abdomen to his heart and blocked his left ventricle. It's thanks to Nurse Caine's sharp eyes and instincts that he's still alive."

Kyle smiled and shook the doctor's hand, saying warmly,

"It's thanks to your skill with a scalpel that my dad will live, hopefully for many more years. Thank you for making sure he'd survive."

The strapping young man stunned Dr. Rudolph when he hugged him tightly, because no one in the Caine family made a habit of doing so. He wasn't as surprised when Madison hugged him because she was the only female in the family and much warmer than her male relatives. He left the trio to their joint mission of caring for the two people who meant the most to them, knowing that both recovering patients were in the best of hands.

He met with the orderlies on duty on his way to his next surgery appointment and ordered them to move Horatio from ICU to General Davenport's room when they knew he'd remain conscious. They obeyed him nearly to the letter, but chose to move the man the moment he opened his eyes, whether or not he could keep them open. Horatio came to himself in a dim room and was at a temporary loss how he came to be there.

He opened his eyes more widely and looked up, thinking he'd be alone and was pleasantly surprised to see Kyle, Ray, Madison, Eric, Calleigh, Frank (he retired the previous year, so Horatio was especially happy to see him), and Alexx (another nice surprise since she practiced in New Orleans). He was floored to see Julia hovering outside the ICU because he thought she was still a resident of the asylum.

He heard a soft cough and turned his head to the left, when he saw he was roomies with General Davenport. He gave her his most devastating smile and felt renewed when she returned it with her own, beginning their flirtation in fine style. Theirs would be a shared and prolonged convalescence, which would give them plenty of time to get to know each other. Having someone with whom he had a lot in common to accompany him into his twilight years made entertaining the prospect much more appealing than it was previously.

His entire crew smiled widely when they noticed how the pair of patients gravitated towards each other and Kyle was especially happy, since he knew his CO was as lonely for male company as his father was for female, but neither party was about to admit it. He hoped they'd keep it in the family and marry, as doing so would slam the door in his mother's face and ensure that she left them in peace. He'd never seen his boss's face light up as it did that day and for the dozen or so afterward and was overjoyed it did when his dad was around.

It helped a great deal that they had so much in common because they'd have a lot to talk about while they healed from their operations. Kyle looked up and caught the thunder of jealousy in his biological mother's eyes, gave her a chilling look and she left, but he knew it wasn't over by a long shot. His father was a very wealthy man because he made wise investments during his long career at the lab. She was bankrupt both morally and financially, so she was on the hunt for an easy pocket to pick.

Neither of them knew that Horatio wasn't about to humor her, having put any hope of having his love returned by her to rest when he committed her. He knew her sentence had completed at some point, but didn't know exactly when, so he was most unhappy when he caught a brief glimpse of bleached blonde and silk skirts and learned that Julia visited him. She knew he was responsible for having her committed to the asylum, so he was puzzled as to why she'd visit him.

He caught the anger in his son's eyes before he doused it and learned her motive from that, deeply grateful the lad was there to help him fend the woman off. He looked back into the room at Alexx's cough, and smiled, saying,

"I'm glad to see everyone, surprised but very glad."

Walter was the first to say hello, dropping a heavy box in the man's lap. Horatio saw the card and opened it, grinning when he read,

"Happy birthday, big guy, I thought these might help you explore new avenues outside of the precinct, since the powers here don't appreciate you as they should. I marked the sections that I thought would intrigue you the most, thinking that they might be covered by MDPD as continuing education. You don t have to rot behind your desk because the heads of state railroaded you. You're a great cop but you'll make an even better PI. Walter"

Horatio's smile widened when he saw the bookmarked sections pertaining to being a Private Investigator, because he liked knowing someone besides his immediate family members had that kind of faith in his will to recover his health. No one expected that the Big Man would have a mild heart attack but he did, so Walter brought the materials to Horatio to give him something constructive to do during his long convalescence, further evidence he was held very highly in the man's thoughts.

Horatio's smile finally reached his eyes when he opened the box and began sorting through the half dozen or so college catalogs. It felt good to be part of a team that thought as much of him as he did of them. He was still dealing with the fallout from keeping Ryan Wolf on after he showed his true colors, and suspected that fallout was the primary cause of his reassignment. The department couldn't afford to have a man as loyal to his team mates as he was fill a position that required a cold, calculating person with loyalty only to himself.

Carolyn Ramirez was in charge of continuing ed for the entire precinct. She was elated to find Horatio Caine's applications among her latest stack of hopefuls and approved them without a second thought, gladly repaying the man for his dedication to the department. She remembered that he formed it, staffed it with only the very best investigators, and assured its survival through several rounds of political maneuvering led by one Tom O'Shay. Horatio's keen senses of fair play and impending danger kept his department thriving when the politician did his best to eradicate it.

He paid from his own pocket to ensure they had only the latest and best technology to process their evidence; helped the CSIs schedule their courses when it was time to renew and/or update their proficiency certifications; and made a great study buddy. She knew he'd be sorely missed by his core staff and many of the auxiliary departments as surely as she knew it was time to urge him to take his retirement and run. She completed, signed, notarized, and filed the paperwork while he convalesced; fought Tom O'Shay's bid to deny the man his hard-won pension and ensured it was a full one in appreciation for the decade's worth of overtime he gave the precinct in his early days.

Horatio's confinement during his recovery from his heart attack proved beneficial because he made it be so, researching his educational options and choosing for teaching instead of private investigative work. He knew that PIs endured even more strenuous schedules than he had as a CSI, so he knew that teaching was the right choice for him. He'd resumed his education and completed his lower level courses before he was railroaded, so all he had left were his cores and the licensing exams for his chosen level of instruction.

He knew he'd ace those in spite of a lag in his thought process, so he applied into an internship with Miami-Dade Community College that he'd begin the term following his licensing exams. The school was happy to have him on its roster of instructors because he was a thorough and patient one. He further proved their wisdom in hiring him because he had a knack for spotting the most promising candidates and encouraging them into the various fields of forensics that needed them the most. He was soon one of their most sought-after instructors, which brought in new applicants from different areas of the country.


	2. Chapter 2--Storm Clouds Rising

Horatio still served his community, just a little differently than he had before he retired. He met with the security teams regularly and informed them of changes in the way the criminal element operated outside their gates. Those meetings led to upgrades in the steel stanchions that locked the gates down, in the gates themselves, and in the bars on the windows of the control center. They also led to the installation of thicker bullet resistant glass in the windows of the control center, preventing a break in there a few months later.

He had his hands full with teaching, reconnoitering with the community leaders outside his walls, and fishing off of his dock on the inlet. Then there was Leila, his sole reason for agreeing to the move. He felt like a kid again when he was around her, even though they were roughly the same age and she'd seen and done things he devoutly hoped he never would.

The neighborhood gathered at their windows to watch when the couple took an evening stroll, renewed by their youthful enthusiasm when they stopped to share a kiss because they felt like it. No one knew it took over two years of hard work and planning to get them to that point, but everyone watched the romance blossom into love. Madi was a dyed-in-the-wool romantic and cherished the sight of her beloved uncle with his sweetheart, wishing she'd find someone like him so she could settle down and have a family.

Susie felt the same way and urged Madi to join her when she had a girl's night out, which she was thrilled when her daughter accepted. They'd team up and hit a few hot spots, take in the night sights, and act like the family they were. It was easy to tell that Madi was Susie's daughter because the young woman wasn't shy calling her mom or mama when she felt the need to.

The occasions were rare because both women worked the graveyard shift at the hospital and their hours were crazy, but the got them in whenever they could. Both were fulfilled in their chosen careers and grew closer as the years passed because they'd share war stories of their worst cases and how they ended. They giggled over the images of Horatio and Leila in the Whispering Springs Village Gazette, chuckling because they were obviously deeply in love and didn't care who knew it.

Their recovery time shortened considerably because they helped each other heal. Leila would always have trouble walking thanks to the prostheses she wore, so Horatio reveled in his role as her crutch. He loved it best when she leaned against him as they watched the sunset on the bay, or when they tossed their lines into the inlet to try and catch some supper.

He knew and didn't care that her left leg was neoprene from the knee down and her right was entirely engineered. The pair of limbs often conflicted, leading to nearly constant pain so most of the time he'd wheel her around the park near the command post. The increasingly rare times Leila chose to walk so she could lean on and hold hands with her beau enchanted the entire village as well as her besotted sweetheart.

His open and frequent return of her affections warmed hearts thought too cold to feel and brought smiles to many faces that hadn't cracked one in awhile. Horatio wasn't a spring chick, either and had to mind his back and neck, so there'd be no carrying his new bride over a threshold. He didn't care and neither did she. Autumn turned to winter and they celebrated their third year together quietly with friends and family.

Eric was a frequent guest at Horatio's house and had a difficult time watching them together at first. He'd see H with Leila and wish his sister was still alive, or an especially poignant memory would rise up and catch him off guard. He thanked God he had Calleigh and his daughter because they were the center of his world. Having them made it very easy to accept Horatio's lateral transfer into the auto shop and sea-borne investigations lab, because they kept him out of the Mala Noches' way.

He wasn't a coward, far from it, but he had a life filled with reasons to stay alive in the blonde bombshell he was proud to call his wife and their sandy-haired daughter, who was the center of their universe. He was elated to learn they expected a second child, even though he knew how big a risk his wife took with her health. She barely survived birthing their first child, her situation not helped at all by the din of gunfire on tin and cinder block as they hunkered down between two gangs determined to kill each other.

He thoroughly enjoyed the lavish supper H and Leila put on for their very select guests. He was thrilled to see Alexx, Frank and the rest of their team past and present gathered around the man who'd brought them together. There were ribald jokes and gentle teasing all around, but everything came to an immediate standstill when Horatio stood on the platform and toasted his sweetheart, saying,

"I once thought I'd never recover from the loss of my first wife, Marisol Delko-Caine. I loved her deeply even though we hadn't known each other very long and losing her nearly did me in. I'm overjoyed that I toughed it out because I met a son I didn't know I had and made several great friends on my journey. My heart's treasure and desire now rest in a gorgeous, witty and brilliant woman whose determined pursuit quite turned my head. Here's to you, my love," and kissed her because he couldn't help it.

Leila became decidedly misty-eyed when her beau risked being unable to rise unaided, bent his knee, and proposed because she knew the effort it cost him. The ring was a gorgeous one with a center stone consisting of a 1/2 carat, heart-shaped diamond surrounded by the birthstones of everyone she loved. His was the diamond at the center of her ring, which symbolized him being at the center of her heart.

Horatio thought things ended there, so he was stunned when she coughed nervously, placed a hand on his leg, and asked,

"I've accepted you, Lieutenant Caine. Will you accept me," and presented a ring that rivaled his for beauty.

She was a January child, so his center stone was a heart-shaped blood garnet instead of a diamond. The remaining stones were identical because they had the same circle of close friends and loved ones. It was his turn to turn misty and he did, croaking,

"I do, General Davenport, and I must insist that you call me Horatio," and kissed her with restrained passion to affirm their love and finalize the first of many intimate contracts.

Her soft sigh of capitulation surprised her two aides-de-camp because they never thought she'd give into any man. It was music to her beau's ears but he wasn't fool enough to rush things, even after she accepted him. This was the real deal, the once in a lifetime for both of them and as such was very special to them and their family. His wife-to-be deserved the very finest he could offer her and that included waiting until their honeymoon to make her completely his.

Julia had friends in Whispering Springs Village that kept her fully updated on the couple's deepening affections. Her jealousy simmered for weeks as she plotted their final parting, which left her no thought space for practicality or caution. Julius was the one to bring her rudely down to earth, snickering,

"You think you got a chance with Caine now he's found a woman that truly loves him? You gotta be outta your mind. You're in the gutter, which has needs of its own," and had the decided gall to try and kiss her.

He woke five minutes later near a dumpster in the bayou where they'd been talking, unaware that they'd been seen by the perimeter security cameras. The authorities found Mrs. Winston kicking up her heels in a local tavern and the gang banger face down in a pile of horse manure in the swamp. Film proved they'd been conversing until he said something that upset her, when she keelhauled him to prove she meant what she said about not consorting with riff-raff.


	3. Chapter 3--Up & Out

Horatio was loathe to leave the place that held his girl, so he received word of the department's decision to extend his medical leave until it ran out with a smile, surprising his three care givers that he smiled instead of frowning. He'd been home from the hospital for nearly a month and showed no signs of wanting to return to work. Only Leila knew the office that once enlivened him now felt like a prison cell.

He knew he would soon, but waited until six months after he graduated with his Master's in Education so Miami County would pay for his re-education (others did it so why shouldn't he). The brass thought it would take forever to get rid of him, but he retired much sooner than they thought he would, because he shortened his time in class by applying former college credits and work to school credits to cut his campus time in half.

Anyone with eyes in her head could see why he wasn't as anxious to return to work as he'd been previously, but few of those in the know willingly shared their knowledge with outsiders. General Davenport shared care givers with Horatio and the quintet decided it would be much easier on everyone if he stayed nearer to her place in Whispering Springs Village, so he traded his home in Miami for a smaller one there. He had just cause for the move that he wasn't aware of, since Julius had begun ramping up his plans to eliminate the man and his closest associates.

He thought the group would be easy pickings until he did a preliminary mission to determine if getting at them was as easy as his crew told him it would be. He was glad he heeded his instincts and checked the place out for himself, because Whispering Springs Village was a retirement community for high-ranking military personnel and took its residents' security needs seriously. Each home sat within walled acreage called an enclave. There were nine enclaves to a cul-de-sac and each enclave in a cul-de-sac backed the same inlet, which itself was guarded 24/7 by three patrols.

There were cameras and speakers installed inside the walls at intervals of ten feet. They faced the house and the outer perimeters of each enclave, making it nearly impossible to get inside one unseen. The schemers didn't know there were speakers too, or they'd have been considerably more cautious once they made it inside. The cameras could be adjusted manually only by the owner of record, and were otherwise adjusted by a central command that sat in the exact center of each community. The command center staff only altered a camera's angle if it pointed away from the house and/or grounds it was meant to watch.

The community was surrounded by a thick wall that was ringed on top with concertina wire and patrolled on foot by teams of three men with a dog to scent out trouble. They circled the entire compound several times a shift, presenting a formidable obstacle to anyone foolish enough to consider invading the facility. He witnessed one nut case try to access a gate without permission and two dogs nearly tore him to pieces, when he kept trying after the guards told him to stop.

Unlike his closest competition in the Mala Noches, Julius saw outside patrols and was smart enough to assume there were inside ones as well. Security being so tight meant there were top brass scattered throughout the community, which in itself meant little. He dug around some more and learned most of them were retired from one segment of the military intelligence command or another and some specialized in providing top notch security for their fellow retirees. Horatio's enclave sat at the exact apex of one circle, with his girl's to his right and an empty house on the left.

Julia saw the empty house as a prime opportunity for access to the entire village, and with access would come friendships with gullible men and women who were her ideal targets for her schemes. They were rich, retired, and bored so they'd make eager listeners for her latest get rich quick ideas. She chose to ignore the fact that the bulk of her prey were from one branch or another of the military and had seen the aftermath and devastation caused by people like her.

Julius watched the woman pace a path in the woods as he wondered how he'd gain access to the retired cop holed up in the secure neighborhood. It took him a second or two but he finally wondered why such a knockout was kicking back with the bugs, so he asked,

"What's a bombshell like you doing in a place like this," and winced when she eyed him as an especially loathsome creature, before she answered coldly,

"I waiting on a friend. What's it to you?"

Her chilliness wasn't the warning it should've been because he'd gotten het up watching her stroll, so he tried another tack, warning her,

"The place you're thinking of robbing can't be accessed by the likes of us without an invitation. Knowing the lieutenant the way I do, I seriously doubt I'll get one. Since you're out here with me instead in there with him, I'd be willing to lay odds you're in the same spot I am."

He began getting serious willies when she answered,

"He loved me once and isn't the type to fall out of love easily, so I know with a little hard work ...," the sounds of serious merriment emanating from Caine's Castle (Julius's nickname for Horatio's gorgeous home) put her off her stride enough that she sat heavily on an upturned dinghy to catch her wind.

They overheard the toasts to the happy couple and the chants from their guests, saying,

"Kiss the girl, kiss the girl, you know you want to, so why not kiss the girl," a quote from the Disney Animated Feature, The Little Mermaid.

Julia's face paled dramatically when she heard her ex say hoarsely,

"Put that way and knowing I have m'lady's full consent, I think I will," and the prolonged silence told both parties listening that Julia's chances of recapturing her ex's heart had just gone from highly unlikely, to nevva gonna happen.


	4. Chapter 4--A Foul Stench

The unmistakable odor of decaying flesh rose from the nearby swamp, sailed over Horatio's wall, and destroyed the romantic mood he'd been building for his quite dinner with Leila. Try as he might, he couldn't shake the need to know where the body was, who died, and who did the deed. Leila smelled it too and earned his respect when she said gently,

"I know that look too well, my love. I smell the same stench and it's far too familiar for my liking. Phone the crew on duty and give them a general location, tell them they'll need an airboat and a bloodhound, and let them do the dirty work. You've earned the right to a quiet retirement so take it," and pouted so he'd kiss her.

Her lips were irresistible so he caved into her silent demand, savoring the flavor of her as he prolonged their kiss. He knew he should phone the department and let them know of the death, but couldn't raise the desire for anyone other than the captivating minx in his arms. He supported her while she walked over to the bay window and helped her sit on the divan so they could watch the sunset over their slice of heaven. He was on his way to retrieve their dessert when her screams told him the murder took place a lot closer to home than either of them wanted.

He looked up in time to see a blood-soaked arm rise from the weeds and disappear as an alligator began feeding on the free meal. He was extremely reluctant to phone in but knew it was necessary so he did, telling Calleigh,

"There's body floating in the inlet behind my home and a gator has begun feasting on it. You need to send a team down her to retrieve it before it disappears into the reptile."

Calleigh knew the gravelly voice well enough to hear the faintest hint of strain in it, which told her that Horatio chose to retire at a very good time. She knew if the sight of something he'd seen his entire adult life unhinged him that he wouldn't survive the rigors of an investigation. She wondered if he'd bear up well under interrogation and knew she had to reassign the case because of their friendship and long working relationship.

She brought her new team together and issued the order to head for Whispering Willows Retirement Village immediately to recover a body and open an investigation into how it became one. She was pleased to see Chad Littleton take the lead and grab his gear first. He picked his team carefully and wisely, taking Marissa Carrolton and Lucas Smart with him.

Marissa had taken SCUBA and other underwater forensics courses from Eric, so the kid knew her stuff well. Lucas Smart was well-versed in taking impressions in anything if they were there to take, and Chad knew the inlets like the back of his hand. He proved his wisdom in forensics when he asked,

"Should I drive to the village and get permission to enter the inlet? Or should I phone the Coast Guard patrols responsible for guarding it and get their permission to use an airboat, since the body is in the water?"

She had the team wait while she secured their entry permits, since they'd get better access if they entered the inlet on land and used Horatio's dock to get the body. She phoned Horatio also to let him know the team was on its way, when he told her he'd let them into his inlet because he had the only key. That spelled trouble for her former boss, since possessing the sole key made him an instant person of interest.

The team arrived to mayhem and watched an elderly man and his crippled girlfriend fishing the body onto the dock. They were in for a severe shock to their systems when the man rose and they recognized him as the former head of the crime lab now led by his former ballistics expert. He dripped in sweat from the exertions and they knew of his gunshot wounds, so they urged him to sit and rest while they finished the job he started.

Chad learned why Lieutenant Caine had such trouble getting the body out of the water. There was a ten-foot alligator attached to its right arm, and it was tugging on it with his full strength to keep it in the water with him. That was unfortunate for the gator, since it meant the death of the beast to discover how much of the body it ate and what evidence it held in its stomach. He signaled to Lucas and between them they wrestled the body out of the gator's jaws, then lured it onto dry land to make it easier to kill.

It was Marissa's first case as a CSI so she amazed everyone when she didn't lose her dinner, but got to work putting the gator out of its misery. She further surprised them by slitting the belly of the beast on the spot after rolling it onto its back on a huge tarp she brought expressly for the task. Her new colleagues didn't know she was an experienced triage nurse, but Kyle learned that from the way she handled field casualties and informed his father of the fact, saying proudly,

"Marissa was one of my unit's best nurses, especially when it came to triage. I'm surprised you didn't ask me about her, since I told you we worked together."

Horatio was nonplussed by his lack and it showed in his increased heart rate, so Leila stepped in to ease it, saying,

"Your father was distracted by the dozens of things he had to do to retire from the force, so it likely slipped his mind. I'm sure he'd have remembered eventually, since he gave Miss Carrolton her preliminary interview."

Marissa coughed to gain their attention and excused Horatio's ignorance immediately, saying,

"The lieutenant was still out on sick leave when I came on board, ma'am. It was Mr. and Mrs. Delko that did the interview and testing, so Mr. Caine hasn't met me yet. Speaking of which, it's very nice to meet you at last, sir," and bowed as she returned to her work.

Her team mates busied with the body, carefully rolling it onto a tarp similar to the one that held the gator. Kyle wandered over to observe out of curiosity and soon returned, paled to parchment and shaking like a leaf, so Horatio decided to see what upset his son. He too returned much paler than he was when he went to investigate, which made Ray do the same.

When he also came back pale and shaky, Leila prodded Horatio for answers, saying,

"Who's our victim," lending support and offering her expert help if it was needed by her choice of words.

"Our victim is my ex-girlfriend, Julia Eberly-Winston, late of the Miami Shores Condominiums. She's Kyle's biological mother but I'm unsure why Ray reacted as he did, so perhaps he can enlighten us," and both men gasped in shock when Ray admitted,

"I met her when someone set us up on a blind date. She was willing and so was I. End of story," and sat heavily on the lawn.

"It seems Ms. Eberly knew a good man when she saw him," Leila intervened. "Had you begun your career in the Marines when you met her?"

"I was between major crimes, so it was a year or so before I joined the Corps," he hung his head, ashamed of being young and hot for a very beautiful woman.

Kyle stepped up and sat beside his cousin, saying gently,

"We hadn't see each other in ages when you met my mother, so there was no way you'd have known she was if she didn't tell you. How did you attract her attention? She normally won't give broke guys the time of day," and gasped himself when Ray confessed,

"She was training me in grifting because she saw how the young ladies liked my good looks and liked that I was smart enough to learn her complicated scamming techniques. I got bored after my first few days because I wasn't into it, so I split. Her new, rich husband died shortly after that so I was glad I didn't go in with her on her scheme."

Ray saw his uncle's hurt look and comforted him somewhat, saying gently,

"I didn't have the heart to tell you how far I fell, Uncle Horatio. Mom doesn't know anything about what I was up to, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell her. She's got enough to worry over with her new husband and the three kids he surprised her with."

"Yelina remarried," Horatio asked faintly, alarming Leila with the sudden weakness in his voice.

Ray nodded absently, as worried about his uncle as everyone else was. He was used to Horatio being a take charge kind of guy, so seeing him being so vulnerable worried him. Kyle knew exactly what to do and made his father comfortable while he took his vital signs. His pulse was strong and steady, so he did a quick palpation of the area of his father's recent surgery and was alarmed to feel the damp, stickiness of blood.

The wound should've healed long ago but obviously hadn't, so he asked harshly,

"Did you really heal as well as you told your doc, dad? Or did you lie so he'd let you come home sooner than he thought was wise?"

The man's sheepish look at his new fiancée told his boys everything they needed to know. He was supposed to be resting more than he was, but had a new sweetheart and thought he didn't have to obey his doctor's orders. Kyle used his CO's spare chair and wheeled his dad into the den, pulled out and wiped down his work table with sanitary wipes he always carried, and laid his dad carefully on the clean surface.

Ray joined them and turned on the bright overhead lights, when the pair learned how serious Horatio's last bullet wound really was. The doc had removed most but not all of it and a stray piece of shrapnel had penetrated his abdominal wall. The shard was easily removed but had cut deeply enough into his stomach that he needed surgery to stitch up the slice.

He phoned 911 and insisted that they transport his father to the nearest naval hospital for surgery, using his own military rank and clout to get his way. The van arrived and two beefy EMTs carefully loaded Horatio into the back, permitting General Davenport and her Corporal to accompany the ailing lieutenant, but insisting that her Sergeant at Arms stand down and follow them in his private car. Ray understood seniority and also the need for a vehicle when the doctor finished stitching up his uncle, so he did as they commanded.

He phoned Susie and Madison to join him because he needed help with his boss. She wasn't exactly petite so he couldn't manage her safely on his own. Leila smiled at his kind description of her, since she'd put on weight thanks to being immobilized by her artificial limbs. It was a situation she planned to remedy with laps in the village pool so she'd fit into the wedding gown she wanted to wear on her special day. She also wanted to be svelte so her sweetheart looked upon a beautiful woman as he undressed her on their honeymoon, because no woman in her right mind wanted to be fat when she made love with her man for the first time.

Kyle watched his father struggle to remain awake and knew the man was in much more serious trouble than he admitted to being in. He wanted to be angry because he'd been deceived but fully understood why his father did it. He was protecting his family from worry, which he'd done for his entire life. He knew that because he spoke with his Aunt Yelina and learned how to tell when he was hiding things he shouldn't.

He learned from dealing with Horatio when he should leave well enough alone and how to press him for details he wanted to share, but felt his role as a father didn't allow him the luxury of sharing. He realized that he was the same way and figured it was a family trait, passed from generation to generation mostly through example. He was a modern enough man to be gentle but honest when he told his family something they needed to know, and he was gratified to see that his dad was beginning to learn from him for a change.

He knew the change had more to do with the woman Horatio would soon marry than with him, since she was an ace at coaxing information from the most reluctant people. It helped a great deal to know that she was his boss but more that she loved his father with her every sinew. He was the first one she turned to when she decided to lose the excess weight that made walking difficult and was very proud of her for being courageous enough to enter the water without her prostheses.

He watched her closely for fatigue and knew when the time was right to insist that she leave the water and get some rest. She struggled to swim a few laps during her first few weeks but was doing a mile easily by the end of her first three months. They planned a Valentine's Day wedding, so she had a lot of work getting pared down to the size she wanted to be in time to stand beside him when they said their vows.

He saw the elaborate decorating scheme and knew the pair planned something very special for what would likely be their last marriage in this lifetime. He wasn't permitted to see the preliminary sketches of the dress because he was Horatio's Best Man and Leila was more superstitious than she wanted to admit. It went without saying she'd wear a royal blue garter and borrow something dainty from one of her attendants to fulfill the old bridal poem to the letter. She had to forego the penny in her shoe but showed her unique sense of humor by wearing a hat shaped like one and putting a cloth penny inside of it.

She insisted that Horatio wear a dove gray morning suit with a steel gray shirt and teal tie. She didn't want him in a cummerbund so she had ready access to his buttons, but that's another story for another day. She had fantasies of running her fingers through his auburn chest hair because she imagined it would be soft and silky against them.

Horatio had his own ideas of what she'd look like when they wheeled her down the aisle. He didn't want her suffering undue pain, so he insisted that she sit in it until she reached the dais, when he'd help her to her feet and support her while they said their vows. No one knew that the injury the doctor stitched back together would keep him down until after their original wedding date, but it did.

When it became obvious he wasn't going to make it to the church, Leila inveigled the minister and their full wedding party to follow her into his hospital room. He dozed fitfully and bolted upright when he heard the ruckus of over fifty people outside his room, thinking one of his horde of enemies found and was about to do him in. He practically lit the street with his glowing face when he saw his blushing bride and their closest kindred had come to help him keep his promise to her.

Then he knew for certain he did the right thing and it dropped a great weight from his heart and conscience. He had eyes only for his fetching bride in her pale champagne gown, and she for her groom despite him being under covers in a hospital bed. The couple wrote their own vows and they were deeply moving to their audience, bringing tears to every eye in the house when each of the pair said, "I do," and slid a ring on his/her spouse's finger.

The Court Clerk presented their marriage license for their signatures while the minister waited impatiently to announce the newly married couple. There wasn't a dry eye in the room when he said,

"It gives me great pleasure to announce Mr. and Mrs. Horatio Caine. The groom begs your forgiveness for being unable to rise, but his doctor strictly forbids it," which statement brought down the house.

There were many toasts to the bride and groom, both ribald and sentimental, but Horatio saved the best for last, and made the women turn misty, when he said,

"I thank God for giving me my sweet Leila as my woman, because I'd be totally lost without her. This is for you, my love," and eyed her cleavage as she bent to kiss him.

She wore a gorgeous gown that exposed enough of her beautiful girls to cause his embers to heat in a way they hadn't in eons, so he was most anxious to consummate their vows as soon as possible. He wondered what made Doc Evans smile when she spoke with him until the room cleared of company and she rejoined him wearing what he could only describe as a delicious confection lace and silk that increased his ardor for her to the boiling point.

He wondered how she planned to carry off her daring scheme until she used her strong arms and leverage to lift onto his lap. Once safely in his arms and bed, she leaned over and whispered,

"I haven't been her with a man, so be patient with me."

He was stunned to learn that his passionate wife hadn't made love with a man, but was honest enough to admit he was honored and terrified. She asked why he was scared of her, and he answered,

"I've never deflowered a virgin, so we're both new to this. We'll take things slowly until we're on firmer footing intimately," as he carefully slipped a strap and began caressing the soft flesh it exposed.

He felt the lightning bolt hit him and knew it hit her, when she moaned,

"Is this what lovemaking feels like? It's marvelous," as she returned his favors by carefully removing his pajama top and kissing the exposed flesh she found.

She was an ace at commanding her battalion but had no clue how to command a certain fleshy soldier, so Horatio let her toy with him until his member rose to her sensual occasion. He trailed shaking fingers all over her breasts, cupping each one in a warm hand as he kissed its nipple to life. He'd never had the time to experiment, though he'd been a thoughtful and very thorough lover to the few women he courted and bed over the years.

Most of his unions were rushed by work interfering at the midpoint, so he half-listened for the phone to ring while they made love. Leila wasn't sure her idea would work but wanted to try so she'd have Horatio all to herself on this momentous night, so she used her only hand to carefully enclose his tumescence and became enthralled by his response to her experiments. Horatio burned for Leila as he hadn't for any woman, not even Julia and Marisol, because she was the only one who took the time to play with him first.

She admitted that she lacked expertise and he encouraged her to keep trying because what she did felt wonderful. He worried how she'd manage when it came time to join, and then learned he needn't worry at all because she got very creative with her body. She didn't lift so much as scoot until she needed a slight lift to descend. She faltered a bit because she didn't want to hurt him, but persisted until she'd impaled on him and begun a slow, loving descent that drove him insane with need.

Never had a woman done what she did and he knew her love for him drove her actions, making him all the more special. He'd been ordered to lie as still as possible but her movements urged him to dance too, so he did. Theirs was a slow, thorough introduction to each other that ended on mutual sighs of joy so intense it blinded them to everything but each other.

Julius snuck into the ward and heard their commotion, as did Julia who'd tiptoed in behind him. The slats were tightly closed on the blinds, but you didn't need eyes to know what was going on in Horatio's recovery room. Julia accompanied the thug thinking she still had a chance to snatch Horatio away from Leila, but learned the door was firmly locked from the sounds the woman made when she climaxed. She envied the general her husband because she well remembered how skilled and patient Horatio was when he brought her over the edge with him.

Julius didn't like the look in her eyes one bit and knew she meant trouble for Horatio's new bride. He also knew he was as safe as he'd ever be pursuing his criminal enterprises, especially now that the lieutenant was happily retired and ecstatically married to a woman any man would enjoy having for his own. He didn't understand that it took a lot of work to create and keep passions alive, but knew all too well the pleasures of sex and orgasm.

He knew from his companion's body language that she was turned on by the sounds of the couple's intimate activities and dared another kiss. He wasn't at all surprised that she returned it because her needs were overriding her judgment. He found a closet and backed her into it, receiving a major shock to his pride when she snorted,

"I'm horny as hell but not about to sink so low as to have sex with you, so stop trying," and had the wisdom to split before he could force himself on her.

The newlyweds in the private hospital room were oblivious to the outside world for three days, because Doc Evans and the staff made sure no one interrupted their amorous activities. He couldn't believe that two people as inhibited as they were could do what they did in his hospital, but they did. There was no doubt whatsoever they were a firmly bonded pair when he regretfully informed them that he could no longer restrain their family from visiting.

Leila had a red face and a very satisfied grin when Yelina popped into visit with her brother-in-law. Her eyes went to Horatio before they found his bride, and she was happy only when she saw the telltale smirk of a very satisfied man. She was finally able to let go of the weight she carried to look after him, when his wife said,

"Hi, you must be Yelina Salas. It's nice to meet you at last. I'm General Leila Davenport, US Marine, retired. I'm a very blessed woman to have your brother-in-law as my husband," and laid her head on his chest.

"I'm glad to meet you too, Leila, as my son Ray has nothing but good things to say about you. And you, Horatio, what have you to say for yourself," she asked, only half-jokingly.

They hadn't spoken in years because he was man enough to let her work things out in her way, instead of running roughshod over her ideas as his brother had. She casually looked over the new woman in his life and gasped when she saw no legs outlined by the covers. Horatio knew when to stave off his friend's worries from her expression, so he said,

"Leila is a very capable and flexible woman in spite of the horrendous injuries she suffered during her three tours of duty in Iraq, Yelina. She has the strongest arms of any woman I've ever met," he added musingly as he eyed her hungrily.

"You're an outrageous flirt, is what you are," Leila rebutted as she returned his perusal, going first to his lips, which she kissed tenderly, then to his chest as her fingers tangled in the thick matt of hair that grew there.

Yelina coughed to remind them they had company, when Horatio looked towards the window and saw the rest of his disparate family gathered, waiting their turn to visit with him and his bride. There was also his daily exam to endure, though Leila gave an entirely new meaning to the word as she examined the shell of his ear with her tongue. He wondered how she resisted temptation for her entire adult life but was glad she did, because he had her passion all to himself.


End file.
